"For facilities, Kemenpora along with the PUPR (Public Works and Public Housing) Ministry are finalizing the training centers in Cibubur, and one of them is for gymnastics. I expect that it can be expedited," he remarked.
The training center is one of the training facilities for Indonesian artistic gymnastic athletes, such as Rifda Irfanaluthfi, according to information that ANTARA quoted from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) website on Tuesday.
During the Cambodian SEA Games, Indonesian gymnastics athletes managed to outdo their medal achievement targets. However, the two events that Indonesia relied on were not featured at the Cambodian SEA Games, he stated.
"However, this does not deter us from supporting gymnastics," he remarked while receiving an audience from the Indonesian Gymnastic Association's Executive Board (PB Persani) at the Kemenpora office.
Ariotedjo said gymnastics is one of the mothers of all sports. In addition, he encouraged the inclusion of gymnastics into the primary school curriculum.
"This matches what the president (Joko Widodo) desires, guidance and cultivation from an early age. Gymnastics, according to us, is a sport that forms the youth foundation," he remarked.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of PB Persani Ita Yuliati Irawan expressed her gratitude to the minister for his support to the development of Indonesian gymnastics. She expects construction of the facilities to be completed soon.
"I thank the minister who has accepted us. We received information that the gymnastic hall is being constructed," Irawan remarked.
"We were waiting for this news. I expect that it can be finished soon and can be used for our athletes' training," she affirmed.
PB Persani will hold several organizational activities and agendas, such as by holding a congress in the near future.
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Translator: Arindra Meodia, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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